Celebrity News Anchor Swept Up In China's Anti-Corruption Effort
Chinese often complain that corruption is endemic in every sector of their society. So it may come as no surprise that a government anti-corruption drive has swept up 25,000 officials in the first half of this year.
The drive's victims include everyone from lowly local functionaries to, this month, a young celebrity news anchor named Rui Chenggang.
Authorities showed up at China Central Television headquarters earlier this month, and took away Rui, the 36-year-old news anchor on CCTV's finance channel, watched by millions of viewers.
Rui is known for rubbing shoulders with the high and mighty, and occasionally asking them some pointed questions.
At an economic forum in the northern city of Dalian three years ago, Rui asked then-U.S. ambassador to China Gary Locke, who flew economy class from Beijing to Dalian, if that was "a reminder that the U.S. owes China money?"
"Well actually that's U.S. government policy," Lock responded, "whether we're here in China or even throughout the United States ..."
In 2009, Rui reported on President Obama's trip to the G20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea.
Obama tried to give Korean media the last question, but Rui raised his hand and the president, apparently thinking he was Korean, called on him.
"Unfortunately, President Obama, I hate to disappoint you, I'm actually Chinese," Rui said. "But I think I get to represent the entire Asia."
Not all Chinese are so happy to be represented by Rui, but some agree with him that China gets a bad rap from biased foreign media.
They agree with their government, which is spending billions of dollars to create media that they hope can compete with CNN, the BBC and the like. They want China to speak with a more assertive voice that wins the country more respect, and they saw Rui as that voice.
“ As long as the media's power is linked to the government's ... corruption will be inevitable.